Folding chair



F. J. HORTON FOLDING CHAIR Filed Dec. 23, 1940 Zmbentor Frank J. Hon-IonPatented Oct. 10, 1944 UNITED STATES FAENT OFFICE FOLDING CHAIR Frank J.Horton, Detroit, Mich. Application December 23, 1940, SerialNo. 371,323

2 Claims. c1. 155-150) 1 My invention relates to a new and usefulimprovement in a folding chai embodying a supporting structure havinglegs and a seat structure supported by the legs so constructed andarranged that the seat structure may be removed from the supportingstructure and both structures folded into compact form.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a chair of thisclass that is simple in structure, economical of manufacture, durable,compact and highly efficient in use.

Another object of the invention is the provi' sion, ina chair of thisclass, of a seat-forming portion having a back swingably mounted thereonand so constructed and arranged that it may be quickly adjusted forpositioning in different angularities relatively to the seat.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a chair having atopposite sides-thereof, a pair of crossed, pivotally mounted legs soconstructed and arranged that the upper ends thereof will engage thecross bars of the seat frame in such a manner that the placing of weightupon the seat will serve to secure the legs in position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a chair having aseat and a back connected together and provided on the seat withattaching hooks at the forward end thereof so that the seat,

when removed from its usual supporting legs, may i be mounted on asupporting ledge such as a boat seat or the like.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a chair having asupporting structure so arranged that it may be easily and quicklyadapted for use in supporting a table.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a chair of thisclass having a supporting structure and a seat-forming structure soarranged and constructed that they are separable and may snap intoposition when assembled together and weight is placed thereon.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

It is recognized that various modifications and changes may be madewithout departing from the scope of the invention and it is intendedthat such changes and modifications shall be brought within the claimsattached hereto and forming a part hereof.

Forming a part of the specification is a drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational vieW of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view with a part broken away.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view with parts broken away.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational View of the invention showing the partsincollapsed or folded form.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the supporting structure used as atable support.

In the chair I provide a frame having side rails 9 and IE1 connected bythe front rail H and the rear rail 52. In the structure illustratedthese rails are formed from tubular material circular in cross section.Connected to the side rails 9 and i0 and spanning the space between themare sinuous springs l3 which are connected together by coil springs l4,these springs serving as a support for 'upholstering or other suitablecovering.- Each of the side rails 9 and i0 is provided with theupwardly, rearwardly directed inclined plate-like portion l5. Arod I6which is projected through these plate-like portions serves to connectthe oppositely disposed portions. Fixedly mountedon this rod at oppositesides is an abutment plate H. The outer end of the rod is angularlyturned to provide the grip IS whereby the rod may be rocked manually. Aback is provided which comprises a U shaped frame embodying the legs I8and I8 carrying the upholstering supporting springs l9 and 251. Thisback is adapted to engage between the plates l5, each of the legs l8 andI8 being pivoted intermediate its ends adjacent their lower ends to theplate !5 by means of a rivet 2 l. The legs are connected together attheir'lower ends by means of the cross bar 22, the upholstery springsI!) extending from the cross bar 22 upwardly to the top of the U shapedstructure.

As shown in Fig. 1 the back may be rocked into two positions, theinclined position being indicated in dotted lines. When the structure isunfolded into the position shown in Fig. 1, the plate I! will be rockeddownwardly into the position in Fig. 3 so that each of the legs I3 andI8 is engaged by one of the plates ll. Thus the back is prevented fromswinging rearwardly from the full line position shown in Fig. 1. When itis desired to incline the back rearwardly to the dotted line position inFig. 1 the user may, by gripping the angularly turned end l9, rock therod l6 upwardly so that the plate H Will swing upwardly to lie againstthe flange 23 and thus the seat back may be swung into inclinedposition. The projection of the rod l6 through the platelike portions 15is sufiiciently snug to prevent rocking of the rod by gravity.

As a supportin structure I provide a pair of front legs 25 and 26 whichare connected together at their lower ends by a cross bar 21 and attheir upper ends by a rod 28. I also provide a pair of rear legs 29 and30 which are similarly connected together at their lower ends by a crossbar 21' and at thei upper ends by a rod 28'. The

- rear leg 29 and the front leg 25 are pivotally connected, intermediatetheir ends, by the rivet 30 and the front leg 26 and the rear leg 3| arepivotally connected together intermediate their ends by the rivet 32.Each of the legs is cut away at its upper end to provide a projecting,curved resilient tongue 33.

In assembling the structure the legs are placed in position so that thetongues of the legs engage over either the rail II or the rail I2 withthe tongues n the other legs resting on the periphery of thecorresponding rail. Downward pressure on the seat will then force thelegs to slide apart at their upper ends so that the tongues on both ofthe legs engage the corresponding rails. As shown in Fig. 3 the tongue33 is in position for riding over the rail I2. As it rides over the railit is sprung out of its normal position so that there is thus a snappingof the legs into position on the engaged rails. When the tongue hassnapped over the rail with which it engages, the chair may be picked upbodily by the seat structure, the legs being securely attached thereto.In order to disconnect the seat structure from the supporting structureit is but necessary to move the bottom ends of the legs inwardl towardeach other a slight distance to disengage the'tongues from the rails.

When the supporting structure is in the position shown in Fig. 1 therods 28 and 28' will engage the under surface of the rails 9 and Ill,these rods projecting outwardly beyond the outer faces of the legs 25and 26 and 29 and 30 so that the tongue is securely locked in engagingposition.

Mounted on the rail I l is a depending hook 31 whereby the seatstructure may be mounted on a cross bar and used for a boat seat or thelike.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the supporting structure supporting a table top39 having hooks 40 projecting from the lower surface thereof. As

'shown in Fig. 6 the supporting legs may be positioned so that the rods28 and 28' may engage It is believed-obvious from the description giventhat the various advantages sought may thus be obtained.

It is believed obvious that the seat structure with the back attachedthereto may be discon-' nected from the supporting structure and restedupon a supporting body. When used in this manner, the chair is admirablyadapted as a beach chair which may rest upon the ground and serve as aseat and back rest for the user.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a chair construction of the class de scribed, a seat-formingportion having a front rail and a rear rail in spaced apart relation; asupporting structure embodying a pair of sets of legs, each setcomprising a pair of legs pivotly connected intermediate their ends;means for connecting the corresponding legs of each set togetheradjacent their lower ends; a rod connecting the corresponding legs ofeach set together adjacent their upper ends; and a resilient arcuatetongue on the upper end of each of said legs, forming an extensionthereof and projected over the adjacent rail and engaged therewith andadapted, upon the spreading apart of the lower ends of said supportinglegs, for snapping over the rail engaged and securing said supportinglegs thereon, said rod lying in close engagement with the under surfaceof said seat-forming portion upon the snapping of said tongues over saidrails.

2. In a chair construction of the class described, a seat-formingportion having a front rail and a rear rail in spaced apart relation; asupporting structure embodying a pair of sets of legs, each setcomprising a pair of legs pivotally connected intermediate their ends; arod connecting the corresponding legs. of each set together adjacenttheir upper ends; and a resilient arcuate tongue on the upper end ofeach of said legs, forming an extension thereof and projected over theadjacent rail and engaged therewith and adapted, upon the spreadingapart of thelower ends of said supporting legs, for snapping over therail'engaged and securing said supporting legs thereon, the relativelocation of said tongues and said rod being such that upon snapping ofsaid tongues over said rail said rod will be in engagement with theunder surface of said seatforming portion.

FRANK J. HORTON.

